All or Nothing
by Hikero
Summary: What's going on? What's wrong with you" Fayt said backing up.rn"Nothing wrong and I'm going to kill you now." chapt 2 is up!
1. the new chapter 1

All or Nothing

By Hikero

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Disclaimer: I don't own Star Ocean. All I own are my characters and this block of cheese.

Author Notes: This is the revised version of chapter 1. My first two reviewers both said the same thing when it came to the second part of chapter 1 so I decided to write it. So this is the new version. Everything's basically the same only some differences so you'll just have to read to find out what. Oh and the dream sequence that was at the beginning of the first version is still there, so the people who read the first version can just skip over it if they want. Also Echo looks the same as before and I'm not going to get really descriptive about her clothes again. Bare with me I'm a newbie.

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Chapter 1

_Run!!!_

_Daddy! Don't leave me!_

_We'll meet again, Echo. You must survive, be strong._

_Daddy, NO!!!_

"Aha!" A girl sprang up in her bed. "It was just a dream. Will that memory ever go away?" She lied back down drifting back into sleep.

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The wind blew fierce across the country of Airyglyph. Snow was dancing around in its powerful gusts. A lone figure walked through the Traum Mountains. The villagers of Kirlsia thought her mad to go out in such weather but she had to get back. Short gray hair flew wild in the wind, her violet eyes search through the storm for any sign of an enemy.

_I hate the cold! _Echo thought to herself. Her scarf was wrapped tightly around her mouth and nose. _They better be happy about this! I almost got my throat ripped out getting it! I HATE THE COLD!!!! _She stopped, made sure that the scroll was still there, gave a sigh and continued on to the Royal city if Airyglyph.

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Echo ran down the castle's corridors till she came to the closed door of the conference. In one swift movement her black boot hit the door knocking it down and the back of the door collided with Vox's face.

"I've got the blueprints!" She proclaimed as walked into the room. Echo unrolled the scroll and laid it on the table in front of the king. The door creaked as Vox closed the door from behind a thin trickle of blood coming from his forehead. "It wasn't easy but –"

"What do you think your doing? Just barging in here like a psychopath. And look at you you're a mess! What the heck happened?" Vox yelled at her.

"I didn't know you cared Vox. And what do you mean a mess? Oh..." Echo looked into the long mirror across the room. Her reflect was very different than the normal her. She had blood all over her shirt, mud on her face and clothes, and her hair was sticking out in every direction imaginable. Echo's normally black pants had been turned brown; her white tank was stained brown from the dried blood, mud and dirt. Her long black jacket were a mix of brown and red. "Shit, I am a mess. Oh well I'll clean up later, the blueprints are more important. By the way, Vox, what happened to your forehead?"

"What happened is the door you kicked open hit me that's what!"

"Learn to dodge. So any who-" Echo continued explaining the blueprint and how from the Aquarians had gotten on making them. Vox walked off and sat in a chair farthest from Echo with an indigent look on his face. "—And that's about it."

"Good work. This will help us greatly. Did you find anything about their other weapon?"

"No milord. There was nothing on it. It's probably in the queen's chambers but I didn't have the time to get in there."

"Alright. You are to return with Albel to your posts and await till I tell you to go back to Aquaria."

"Yes, sire." Echo said as she bowed. She turned and followed Albel out of the room.

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"What the ruddy hell happened to you?"

"I got in a tangle with some Aquarian guards okay Matthew." Echo said to her friend.

"Well it looks like you got in a fight with a mud puddle and lost." Matthew smirked his green eyes shinning with mischief.

"Go jump of a cliff."

Matthew laughed. The two best friends had known each other since they were in diapers. Their fathers both were soldiers in the Strom Brigade.

"Look why don't you go get cleaned up and in fresh clothes, then when you're not covered in mud and blood I'll fix you up, K?"

"K."

Echo walked to her room in the back corner of the living quarters. Unlike the other soldiers she had her own room and bathroom. Had there been any other female soldiers it would have been different but she was all alone in. She grabbed a towel and walked into the bathroom. One of the few servants that lived here had already drawn up her bath and had placed clean clothes near by. After stripping she jumped in the tub enjoying the warm water on her skin.

An hour later, she returned to Matthew clean and in a much better mood.

"I was starting to think you drowned."

"Shut up." Echo sat down and Matthew summoned his healing powers, his eyes closing. Both of them had study the Aquarian art of runeology. After a few moments Matthew opened his eyes.

"Done."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

"See ya later." Echo walked down to the entrance of the training facility. She settled down on a rock a little ways away. Night was approaching. A light wind blew tonight.

"Um...excuse me?'

"Huh?" She turned to a young boy standing not to far away.

"Is this the Kirlsia Training Facility?"

"Yes it is."

"Um I have a message for Sir Albel." The boy's voice shook as he said Albel's name. "Is he here?"

"Yes he's here. Would you like me to give it to him?"

"Would you?"

"Yes don't worry."

"Th-thank you." He handed her the note.

"Don't worry about it. Hurry home it's getting dark."

"Yes ma'am!" The boy turned and ran back towards the village.

Echo looked at the note in her hand, the king's seal was barely visible in the dim light. A concerned look came across her face. She shook her head, turned back inside, and headed to Albel's quarters. When she reached his door she knocked.

"Yo, Capt. got a message for you."

"Well come in you fool." Echo opened the door to see Albel leaning against the window frame across the room.

"You want me to leave it on the desk?"

"Give it here, maggot." Echo scowled but she was use to being called maggot, fool, idiot and things like that by now. It was just how Albel was. She gave him the note and left. After she was halfway down the hall she heard quick footsteps from behind her.

"Capt.?" Echo asked turning. She stepped out of the way just in time to keep Albel from colliding into her. He turned the corner without a word. Echo didn't bother calling after him, something was obviously wrong but she wasn't going to ask. Albel would say something when and if he felt like it.

Echo returned to entrance in time to see Albel head over a hill. "I wish you'd tell me what's troubling you. There's nothing wrong with confiding in another. I just want you to trust me. But that's not possible for you is it, Albel?" She asked the fading form of her captain.

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So how do you like it? And to the people who read the first version: what do you think of the change. The main problem with the first one is that I really didn't think much about it I just winged it. This one I sat a thought about what I wanted to happen and things like that a little more.

**To Eike and Illusionized: **thank you for your reviews. I hope you like the new version.

**To Haku and Ryu: **You guys like?

Hope you peoples will stay with me through the end of the story. Catch ya'll later!

Hikero


	2. Chapter 2

All or Nothing

By Hikero

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Disclaimer: Don't own it, wish I did but probably never will. The only things I own are my characters and this spoon.

Author Notes: I'M SOOOOO SSSSSOOOORRRRYYYY! My computer crashed, and this was saved on it. The printed version that I had was lost, and then I found it and lost it again. I found it again last weekend, but I couldn't get on a computer cause I was grounded and crap happened. And with the funeral, and the stress, and that crazy-ness, and evil sports, and WAAAAAAAAAAAA! I'M SSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY! Flood of tears so I'm going to put this up and I'm working on to other stories so I'll put those up as soon as possibly.

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The morning was calm. Daylight was covering most of the mountains now.

Echo stirred in her quarters as the sunlight danced across her face. "Mmm..." She rolled over and looked at the clock.

"What! It's nine already?" Echo bolted and stared at the clock. "Oh shit!" She cursed as she tossed the covers off. Echo leapt out of bed, threw on her normal outfit of black pants, a white tank, boots, and a black jacket, and shot out the door to the mess, cursing all the way.

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"Well good morning sleepyhead." Mathew greeted Echo as she sat down beside him with a tray food.

"I can't believe I slept in so late. I didn't even hear the morning call." Echo started devouring her breakfast.

"Chill out. Most of us just got here. The guy, um what's his name, oh Greg, it's his job to wake us up in morning. He's then infirmary, got hurt when Shelby broke up the party last night, so none of us heard it." Mathew laughed. The normally calm Echo looked like she was about to have a fit.

"Thank god." Echo sighed. "I was sure Capt. was going to have my head if I was late again."

"Not that it matters. Sir Albel has been gone for days, and it's not like anyone is going to rat you out."

"Good point." Echo started eating the roll she took for breakfast. She glanced over at Mathew, to find he was dressed in his travel gear a pack at his feet. "You leave today, right?"

"Huh...oh yeah. After breakfast we head out to Kirsla to meet with Lord Woltar, then we'll probably be placed on the front lines, but who knows." Mathew's words were greeted by silence. Echo stared down at her food. He didn't have to ask what was wrong, he already knew. Since Kirsla was so close to the Aquarian town of Arias, many small skirmishes broke out from time to time. And lately they've been far more frequent and deadly. If he was placed on the front lines there was a high chance that he would be killed.

"Mathew?"  
"Huh?"

"Here I want you to have this." Echo pulled her necklace up over her head and held it out to him. On the chain was a ring to large for either of them to ware. It had a silver crescent moon embedded in sapphire. It was Echo's family emblem. "It was my father's and it's my good luck charm. It'll protect you."

"But Echo! I can't take-"

"Yes you can. Now take if before I shove it down your throat and you won't be able to argue about it."

Mathew smiled and took the ring from her. "Thanks. I'll take good care of it." He slipped it over his head.

"You better. And I'm only lending it to you so you better bring it back, okay?"

"Okay. Um...Echo? I have to go." Mathew said seeing the rest of his troop at the door waving to him.

"I'll see you soon. Maybe if I have to go back to the capitol, I'll swing by and pay you a visit."

"Of course you always have to do something that would get you killed if you're caught."

"But of course."

Echo waited till he was gone before leaving and head the opposite direction. Once on the roof she watched he vanish over the hills. _You better come back, Mathew. Other wise I'll track you down and kill you myself. _Echo turned around and went about her morning training, humming quietly to herself.

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Echo walked back to her quarters wiping the sweat from her forehead. She came to a corner and stopped. Shelby was talking with some of his followers. Quietly she pressed herself against the wall, towel now on her shoulder, and listened to him. He was saying something about Albel being detained for a while. She inched forward and continued eavesdropping.

_Detain? Why would they detain Capt.?_

"-then all the credit would go to you sir. And you may even be promoted to captain yourself." The solider kneeling before Shelby said. Shelby laughed.

"The day you become captain is the day this brigade falls from grace and became the shiteist fighting force ever to exist." Echo said leaning on the wall she had been hiding by, one foot upon the wall.

"What?" Shelby said, anger in his tone and eyes. Echo turned her head towards him, the rest of her body remaining sideways.

"You heard me. Sir Albel is the Black Brigade's captain and I will do all in my power to keep shit like you from trying to take his place while he's away." Now a glimmer of light revealed the sword in her left hand.

"Sir Shelby would make this Brigade stronger and better than that man would!" one of the guards yelled at her drawing his sword. "And we'll get rid of anyone who tries to stop him!" The other drew their swords as well. An evil grin spread across Echo's face, fang like canines glinted in the light.

"So going to have you attack dogs fight me, dickhead?" Echo's leg dropped to the ground and she turned, now facing them her head lowered a bit so her bangs cast a shadow over her eyes. Her head snapped up. "Bring it."

The guards yelled and rushed her. Echo kicked the closet one hard in the chest and left a deep gushing wound across the stomach of another. Blocking another attack from a sword, she drew a dagger and stabbed the one behind her in the stomach. Echo sent two crashing through the window with a spinning kick and lobbed off the head of the first one she kicked.

She stood in the middle of the room; blood coving half her face and some of her left side, dead or unconscious guards sprawled across the floor. Echo licked the blood off the back of her left hand; the demonic smile still there and turned to Shelby.

"So, whose next? You maybe?" She said menacingly as she slowly walked towards him, sword still draw, and blood dripping off it as she walked.

"I had a feeling you would do this. Loyal to the very end. But it ends here. You're in my way to glory." Shelby laughed and the next thing Echo knew everything had gone black.

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_What happened?_

"Hey you alright?"

_Who? Is someone calling me?_

"Maybe she's dead?"

"She can't be dead, Cliff. She has a pulse and she's breathing."

"Well maybe that huge bump on the back of her head has something to do with it."

"Yeah."

_What hell's going on?"_

"Mmm..." Violet eyes flickered open to meet emerald, as she stared up into the face of cerulean haired boy. _Blue hair?_

"Hey welcome back." The blonde said. Echo sat up and looked around. _I'm in the prison. _She thought. _So this throbbing pain in my head must have been where one of dickhead's men hit me. I can't believe I let my guard down. And these guys must be the escapees he was talking about and sadly my rescuers. _"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Fayt Liengod." The cerulean haired beside her said. "And this is..."

"Cliff Fitter."

"Echo. Echo Maxwell."

"Nice to meet you." Fayt said.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Huh?"  
"What the hell are you doing here?" Echo repeated. "You not soldiers of the Black Brigade believe I would know, I'm one." She started to get up. "And you don't look like you're form around here. So what the fuck are you-ah!" Echo yelped as her ankle collapsed sending her back to he cold ground below. Fayt caught her before she hit.

"You're hurt you shouldn't move." He said.

"You didn't answer my question." Echo found herself once again staring up into those pools of green.

"We're looking for some friends of ours. Know where they are?" Cliff asked.

"You're the two escapees aren't you?"

"How did you guess?"

"There was supposed to be a trade today, two men for the spies. And you guys fit the description so it's pretty obvious. Don't worry I have no intention of turning you back in. I owe you guys one."

"And you're in no condition to fight us."

"True."

"Why were you chained up, Echo?" Fayt asked changing the subject.

"Dickhead got pissed when I told him that he would make a lousy captain and that he was a piece of shit. So after his men tried and failed to kill me someone snuck up behind me and knocked me out. Next thing I knew I was staring up at you guys."

"Will you tell us were our friends our?"

"Fourth floor. Take the elevator on the first floor. But you'll need to get a key."

"Got one." Cliff said holing it up.

"Good. You guys go and save your friends. I'll be fine." Echo got up again, clinging to the wall before her ankle gave way again.

"You sure? You're pretty hurt."

"I'll be fine. If you take me with you I'll only slow you down. Your friends are pretty badly hurt, if you don't get them to a healer soon they might die."

"Why are you helping us? We escaped from prison, broke into your base, and killed your friends!"

"So?"

"So? That's all you have to say?" Echo rolled her eyes at Fayt.

"Look I am pissed you broke in, killed my friends and are about to help my enemy but what can I do? I'm in no condition to fight like you said. And besides I owe you one. I promise I won't attack you while you're saving your friends, okay? I owe you a debt. It's one of the strongest debts one could have. Ever heard of it?"

"Yeah but-"

"But nothing. Oh by the way, Shelby probably has an ambush waiting for you be careful."

"We will. Thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet."

Fayt and Cliff turned and left Echo by herself. "Don't get me wrong guys. I'm not helping you because I have to, I'm helping you because I want to." Echo limped down the hall till she reached the elevator on the first floor. She pressed the 4th floor button and climbed in, looking up as it climbed. "Oh shit Capt.'s gonna kill me for this. Well on the other hand he'd probably kill me for not doing anything. Oh the choices."

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"Damn their good." Echo said as she watched them defeat Shelby and the soldiers. She was just out of earshot to hear what they were talking about. _Huh? _Echo looked up at the figure that appeared on the ledge above them. _Capt.!_

After seeing that Albel was back, she debated a bit but then decided to go out. She came out of hiding behind the column and slowly walked over, still limping.

Nel glanced back seeing Echo, pulled out her daggers and swung them behind her making a circle.

"The fuck!" Echo ducked, efficiently dodging both blades. "What is it? 'Try to kill, maim and destroy Echo' day?"

"Nel stop!" Fayt grabbed Nel's shoulder and pulled her away from Echo.

"Do you have any idea who that is?" She snapped at Fayt, hate in her eyes that never left Echo's face.

"Yes. Her name's Echo."

"She's also called 'the god of death'. Her cruelty it only matched by her Captain's."

"Is that really what they call me? Damn I need to get out more often. But if you ask me, Capt.'s way better than me." Echo placed her hands behind her head and rock a bit grinning.

"She also help Cliff and I find you, so quit." Fayt said.

"Let's go guys." Cliff turned and the group followed.

"See ya Fayt. I look forward to seeing you again." Echo waved and once they we're gone. "Sorry Capt. but I owe them one. I could attack them." She turned to face Albel who had joined her on the ground. "So-"

"Shut up you fool." Albel snapped as he walked past her.

"Whatever you say." Echo followed a few feet behind him. _I can't wait to see you again Fayt. I look forward to fighting you. And I won't lose. _

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And that be it folks! I'll try and get number three up soon! Thanks for reading. Please review!


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